


Gossamer Thread

by dezimaton



Category: Elsword (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 10:35:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17343740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dezimaton/pseuds/dezimaton
Summary: Vanilla add lends a helping hand





	Gossamer Thread

The creaking of the front door filtered through the house. Although soft, a scientist clothed pure white perked up from his work. He hummed to himself with a smile, fingers tapping at the keyboard ever slower. Time must have returned.

 

Mastermind had a bad habit of getting caught up in his work, ignoring meals, sleep, and all worldly “distractions,” but Time was different. Time was joy, warmth, comfort. But also moving, changing, fickle, a quiet whisper that nothing lasted forever. Mastermind always pushed the thought to the back of his mind, instead holding Time a little closer, spending days helping the tracer rather than on his own upgrades. Though the voice remained, worry constricting him like a vine. He knew that someday he and Time would change, but Mastermind didn’t know it would be so soon. 

 

The scientist’s hand hovered still above the screen, red with AI debugging errors. Mastermind wanted to continue. He was so close to a breakthrough, so close he could just _taste_ success, but Time was back and as much as he wanted to, code could wait for him. Time would not. He had just this moment to catch the tracer before Time disappeared into his room or who knows where outside of the lab. Mastermind closed the window.

 

Time sat in the kitchen, cursing periodically, when Mastermind slid in. The scientist’s breath froze at the sight. There was red everywhere. The tracer’s previously white coat now mottled a mix of red and black. A trail of red droplets across the floor, smears on the wall and across cabinet, Mastermind found himself speechless. 

 

Upon noticing him Time scrambled to turn away, trying to hide his wounds. It’s not like Mastermind _wouldn’t_ notice though, what with the condition of the room. Time had, thankfully, been able to teleport back, being unable to walk in his current condition, though his imperfect teleportation could only take him so far. Time still had to stagger through the house, leaving the ugly red trail on the floor and walls he used for support. 

 

“Shit. Sorry,” he grinds out painfully. “ I wasn’t careful and-” 

 

Mastermind rushed toward Time, hushing him “ Shhh, don’t speak. You can tell me later.” He guided the bandages out of Time’s shaking hands, crouching down so he could better see the wounds. 

 

It was hard to tell how bad everything was through the tattered clothing and dried blood, so Mastermind peeled away what remained of Time’s jacket and shirt. The room was still, silence broken only by the occasional groan if Mastermind touched a sore spot. Though, the scientist had gentle, deft fingers so even those were rare. 

 

Eventually, Mastermind dabbed away all the dried blood with a warm cloth. The mess cleaned, it became clear that the wounds weren’t as bad as he thought. There was a thick black residue covering the deepest gashes that worried him, but had they not been there Time would have bled out minutes ago. Mastermind swallowed nervously. 

 

When he finished wrapping the last of the gashes, Time pulled away. “I can take care of the smaller cuts, Arc.” 

 

The name slipped out of his mouth before he realized it and Time yelped, “OUCH!” as Mastermind pressed an alcoholic swab to an open cut, a smile spreading across the scientist’s face. 

 

“It’s not Arc anymore, call me Mastermind.” 

 

Time shot him a glare, “Just because you have a new set of drones doesn’t mean yo- OUCH!”

 

Mastermind snickered.

 

“The white coat is als- OUCHH! WOULD YOU STOP THAT,” Time hissed.

 

“Not until you stop calling me Arc,” Mastermind chimed, clearly enjoying this. 

 

Time groaned. He tried to snatch the swab from him, but Mastermind was always a split second faster, moving it just out of his reach. The scientist’s smile softened, “just sit still and let me do this.” 

 

“But- OUCHH!” 

 

“It’s not like we do this every day. And… I was so worried.” Mastermind’s words shook as he choked back a sob, thankful that Time was facing away from him at the moment. 

 

_I thought I was going to lose you.  
_

He thought to himself, fighting back tears that were welling up. Mastermind closed his eyes and rested his head on Time’s back. “What happened?” 

 

The sound of Time’s heartbeat quickened. “It…” 

 

“I was fighting a demon in Feita.” Time rested a hand over his eye patch, something he always did when he had something to hide. “ I wasn’t careful and got hit once or twice.” 

 

Mastermind pulled away. “That’s not it, is it.” 

 

“It is.” Time affirmed. 

 

“Really. Because these are some very ragged gashes. No normal monster could have made these wounds.” Mastermind circled around to face Time, unimpressed. 

 

The weak smile faded from Time’s face. 

 

The tracer slumped forward and laughed. “I can’t keep anything from you, can I?” 

 

“What we’re you doing fighting Berthe. ” Mastermind demanded. 

 

Time paused, choosing his words carefully. “It is- a favor.” 

 

“A favor for- information that will help me reach mother.” Time closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then looked up to face Mastermind, eyes glimmering with determination. 

 

Mastermind quirked a brow. “Information, huh?” He could only think of one person who could have such information, and the cruelty to give the tracer this task. 

 

The scientist grit his teeth at the thought of the masked bastard. “Glave is bad news. You shouldn’t be making deals with him.”

 

“I know, but as administrator of Henir, he should know at least something about how to improve my time traveling formulas. I can’t ignore his information.”

 

Although he wanted to tell Time otherwise, the look in the tracer’s eyes told him he had made up his mind. Mastermind sighs, “I can’t stop you.” 

 

Time relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief. 

 

“But I _can_ tag along. Glave never said anything about defeating Berthe alone, did he?” The scientist smiled. 

 

Time thought for a moment, “No, he didn’t.”

 

“I’m sure he won’t mind then~” Mastermind added slyly.

 

 

The most beautiful smile blossomed across the tracer’s face, 

 

“Thank you, Mastermind.”

**Author's Note:**

> Naming conventions: (Mastermind/Scientist/Arc) (Time/Tracer)
> 
> Author’s Note: Little did he know, this would be the last time the tracer smiled~


End file.
